A NEW civic hall will be built in Guildford despite fears that central government might not bail out the project, it has been announced.

It is now believed that an application for a £10m grant from Westminster to fill the civic hall’s funding black hole is likely to fail. But the borough council has said the funding can be found through other borrowing avenues, including its own housing reserves.

The decision-making Executive committee will consider a report next Thursday which will show in detail how best to move forward with the project.

GBC’s full council will consider the committee’s recommendation at a meeting on May 12.

“I am confident the Executive will recommend to the full council that we proceed apace to start the work,” said council leader Andrew Hodges.

The authority already has £16mn to get the project started, but it must find the remainder to ensure the £26m venue gets finished.

It had originally planned to raise the money through the sale of land off Bedford Road to housing developers, and also property on which Westfield’s Friary redevelopment would take place.

However, due to falling property prices, GBC has decided not to immediately press ahead with the sale of Bedford Road, while Westfield has put on hold its shopping centre extension.

Cllr Hodges said should there be an upturn in the property market, as recent national figures suggest there could be, then GBC could raise the money through its original plan of selling off assets.

He added that he was confident the Westfield redevelopment will take place eventually.

Willmott Dixon, the developer charged with rebuilding the civic hall, has held its original tender price.

GBC has already spent £2m on the project before a brick has been laid, and the cost of the rebuild has risen from £24m.

Guildford’s Civic was closed down in January 2004 and attempts to rebuild it have been stop-start ever since.

Planning permission for the 1,700-seat venue has been agreed, but construction has yet to begin after a series of cutbacks.

A number of plans have been mooted for the venue, including reopening the old building and developing one at the University of Surrey.

The replacement for the Guildford Civic is due to open in early 2011. The Conservative-controlled council wants to bring in a private company to assist in the running of the music venue.

Nigel Manning, the lead councillor for major projects, added: “It has taken a long time to get on site, but our commitment has never wavered.

“The rebuild is the only solution to providing Guildford with the entertainment centre it deserves.”